The present invention relates generally to the field of telecommunications and more specifically to a system and method to permit management and control of telephony calls that may be directed to or received by multiple components or devices.
Most organizations today utilize some sort of voice mail or voice messaging system to allow a caller to leave a message if the intended recipient is not available. The call typically arrives at a private branch exchange (PBX) of the organization and is directed or switched to the appropriate party manually by a receptionist, or automatically by the PBX through commands entered through the telephone touchtone keypad. If the called party does not answer the telephone call, the call is forwarded to a voice messaging system which allows the caller to enter further commands and leave a voice message in a voice mailbox assigned to the recipient. Messages left for called parties within an organization can be retrieved by calling the voice messaging system using a telephone and entering appropriate commands through a touch tone keypad. Retrieved messages can be played, forwarded or deleted. An example of a voice messaging system of this nature is the VoiceMemo II(copyright) sold by Centigram Communications Corporation of San Jose, Calif.
In addition to voice messaging systems, many organizations also use electronic mail messaging systems and facsimile messaging systems. While typically these additional messaging systems operate separately, attempts have been made to interconnect all messaging systems together. The current trend is to simplify the connection these various messaging systems to allow users access to all types of communications once a connection to the enterprise is made. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,349,636 to Irribarren discloses a system and method for voice mail systems and interactive voice response (IVR) systems. The Irribarren system includes a voice message system and a text message system integrated via a network which coordinates the functions of each individual message system. A user may access messages stored in the voice message system and in the text message system via a single telephone call.
Furthermore, the traditional telephone network is not the only way to facilitate voice communications. Advancements are being made in the area of providing voice communications over computer networks to allow people to talk using their computer network infrastructure. This has lead to the connection of telephones and telephony switching devices to computers and computer networks.
However, there are drawbacks to the design of traditional voice messaging systems. Traditional voice messaging systems act as adjuncts to the PBX, in that calls coming to the PBX that are not answered by the recipient are forwarded to the voice messaging system, over an analogue or digital line/trunk. With the transfer of the call, the management and control of the call is also transferred to voice messaging system. This causes a number of problems. The voice messaging system does not have switching functions and is typically limited to capabilities for recording or retrieving voice messages only. As a result of this prior art design, the caller is frequently trapped within the messaging system. Furthermore, once the call is in control of the voice messaging system, there is nothing that the recipient can do interrupt the message to retrieve the call. In addition, the options of the caller are limited once the call is in the hands of the voice messaging system. For example, once bounced to the voice messaging system, the caller cannot initiate the procedures to camp on the recipient""s line, initiate a callback, or have the call transferred to another alternate live person instead.
There is a need in the art for a system and method of call management and control that does not require the call to be transferred to an a separate or adjunct system that limits call features.
The present invention is directed to a system and method where the management and control of the call does not require the call to be transferred or forwarded away from the initial person, but maintains call management and control with a call manager in a manner which is efficient and flexible, while allowing the traditional functions of voice messaging to be performed. The present invention also provides for splitting, channeling, parallel and continued processing of a call so that multiple individuals or devices can be notified and act on the call.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of controlling calls comprising steps of: receiving incoming call signals from a caller by an interruptible call manager controlling the call; generating one or more subsidiary call signals from the incoming call signals; directing one or more subsidiary call signals by the interruptible call manager to a first group of one or more call reception components;
receiving an interrupt signal from the caller or one of the call reception components at the interruptible call manager; and redirecting the subsidiary call signals responsive to the interrupt signal to a second group of one or more call reception components.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided: a system of directing calls comprising: a) one or more call reception components; and an interruptible call manager coupled to a caller and said call reception components; wherein the interruptible call manager receives incoming call signals from the caller, generates one or more subsidiary call signals from the incoming call signals, and directs one or more of the subsidiary call signals to a first group of the call reception components; and wherein the interruptible call manager redirects the subsidiary call signals responsive to an interrupt signal received from the caller or one of the call reception components to a second group of the one or more call reception components.